Eph 4:29 - 32 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

What I found over the years that I have served and walked with the Lord is that the hardest thing is taming the tongue. Growing up I was taught that freedom of speech is our right as citizens of the country. Freedom of speech might be the right of passage for us as citizens of this natural country, but it is contrary to God's word and not according to His kingdom.

One thing to note is that most of the scriptures that deal with communication also bring into understanding a relationship with bitterness, wrath and anger.

We are not of this world, therefore we must learn to not operate according to the things of this world, even our speech. God has not given us freedom of speech as we have in this country. What he has given us is His words. Remember we do not live according to this world. So how do we live? according to His Kingdom. These kingdom principles are located in his word. Jesus gives us a clue when He said "I only say what I hear my Father say." In Mark 11:23 - 25 the word say is used 5 time, when God created the heavens and the earth and all things with in it He spoke... He said. We also have James who has written to use the destructive side of our speech. talking about a little member who needs to be bridled.

Jas 3:2 - 16 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

We can see by what James is saying that the very words we speak can turn our lives into a blessing or into a curse. I heard someone say one time that we are the prophet of our own lives. What is a prophet, one who speaks out. So if the prophet is speaking curses then guess what the end results is, and if he is speaking blessings according to James fresh water will come forth... blessings like a river. So God through James says that we are to be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. Notice below that James says that the wrath of man, which happens to be part of the corrupt communication of man does not produce the righteousness of God. And as you go on in chapter 3 of James verse 17 and 18 James say the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace. The peace that James is speaking of has its relationship to the the way we speak.

Jas 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
Jas 1:20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Jas 3:17 - 18 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Defining corrupt communication can be easy, but it can also be difficult. This is where we need the helper the Holy Spirit to help us tame what man can not. Cussing is easy to identify with, but what about praying for someone. I have found that sometimes in praying for people we can pray ineffectively. We can be trying to pray for someone and get into witch craft by trying asking God to do something is not His will, but what you would like to happen, Like when Peter rebuked Jesus when He was speaking of leave them. Jesus said satan get the behind me, speaking of Peter. So corrupt communication can involve speaking against Gods will. I implore you to ask God to help you in your speach.

Lastley Poverbs 18:21 say life are death are in the power of the tongue and they that love it shal eat the fruit of it. What fruit would you desire to produce? My desire and prayer for us is to desire the fruit of righteous. Let your tongue be a tongue of kindness, a well fo fresh water. Ask God to help us watch our tongue, someone is listening..

Blessings to you

Co-laborer in Christ

Jeff Darst
Wholein1 ministries